Through the ribs - shoulder shots ruin way too much meat.
+1
The last two bulls that I shot were with my .300 Weatherby, one shot with a 168 grain Barnes TSX shot through the ribs just behind his shoulder, and the other with a 168 grain Barnes TTSX shot quartering toward me through his shoulder. Both bulls fell dead less than 20 yards from where they were when I shot them. NO tracking needed.
The bull shot through the ribs had probably the smallest amount of meat loss than any other elk that I have shot with a rifle.
On the bull shot through the shoulder, the bullet hit the humerus bone just below where it connects to the shoulder blade, and at least half of his shoulder was a bloodshot mess.
